When you make avocado toast, you only use the green flesh of this virtuous fruit. You then throw the avocado pit in the compost bin, without even realizing you're discarding a treasure. This pit, sometimes kept for "gardening" tutorials, is a powerhouse of benefits for the skin. It's a welcome alternative to expensive creams and chemical treatments.
The avocado pit, a ball of vitality for the skin
When you make guacamole for a fajita night or customize your toast like those trendy cafes, you use the green part of the avocado and discard the rest. The rough skin and the pit then meet a sad fate, ending up among the peelings and chicken bones in the compost bin. Yet, these two inedible parts are the natural equivalent of your expensive serums and innovative face masks .
The avocado pit isn't just destined to become the jack in your pétanque games or the subject of your botanical experiments. The robust heart of this fruit deserves a place in your beauty routine. It rivals the many skincare innovations on the shelves. Beneath its tough shell, it contains 70% of its antioxidants and promises to do wonders for your skin. It notably contains polyphenols, compounds that help fight free radicals responsible for cellular aging. This makes it a luxurious treatment at an affordable price.
That pit, which you soak in water hoping it will sprout leaves, is certainly more useful in your bathroom than on your living room windowsill. Incorporate avocado pits into your skincare routine and you'll see radiant, smooth skin emerge.
Reduced to powder, it reveals the full extent of its talent
You're probably wondering how to use that pit, which even your sharpest knives struggle to pierce. The method is simple. Just grate the pit of a fresh avocado, let it dry for 48 hours on a clean cloth, and then grind it in a mortar until it has a floury texture. You'll then have a magical powder, capable of doing the job of almost all the beauty products in your toiletry bag.
This "golden powder" isn't meant for your morning vitamin-packed smoothies or healthy cake batters. Even though its texture is similar to that of mainstream dietary supplements, it's for topical application. It's the secret ingredient in homemade beauty recipes, the wonder ingredient in your cosmetic concoctions.
Natural skin exfoliant
Mixed with oil (such as almond or olive oil, depending on your dermatological needs), this powder acts as a natural scrub to remove dead skin cells and smooth the skin. Be sure to prepare a single-use exfoliant, in a single dose.
Antioxidant face mask
The kernel contains polyphenols and antioxidants. In some homemade treatments, the powder is combined with honey or yogurt (dairy or plant-based) to create a purifying mask intended to help fight free radicals and give the skin radiance .
Hair care
Some people use an infusion of avocado kernels (boiled in water) as a hair rinse. It is said to add shine and strengthen hair.
From waste to natural massage ball
The avocado pit has yet to reveal the full extent of its talents. Its spherical shape makes it an excellent substitute for those commercially available self-massage tools. You know, those wooden objects with spikes or beads designed to relieve tension. No need to invest in a reflexology ball when you have such a solid sphere at hand. The avocado pit, sometimes transformed into a foosball ball or carved into a holistic necklace, can be placed under your feet, granting you a wellness break worthy of Balinese spas in the middle of a stressful day.
That avocado pit, which you usually ignore in your kitchens and toss around unceremoniously, is probably the best thing that's happened to your skin in months. Sometimes, pebbles hide the most beautiful diamonds. Yes, appearances can be deceiving.
